Problems · NHTSA complaints

2002 Toyota Tacoma problems

Owners filed 360 complaints about the 2002 Toyota Tacoma with NHTSA between Nov 2001 and May 2025. The most-cited component is structure (181).

Complaints
360
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
30
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
23
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Structure181
  2. Suspension85
  3. Power train26
  4. Air bags20
  5. Wheels18
  6. Tires16
  7. Service brakes, hydraulic15
  8. Steering10
  9. Electrical system8
  10. Vehicle speed control8
  11. Fuel system, gasoline6
  12. Visibility6
  13. Engine and engine cooling5
  14. Latches/locks/linkages5

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20012
200215
200328
200415
200515
200612
200714
200813
200911
201016
20118
201210
201321
201442
201528
201624
201723
201821
201913
20208
20217
20223
20233
20247
20251

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Structure

181 reports3 crashes
“The contact's daughter owns a 2002 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that several independent mechanics and an auto body repair shop had informed her that there was a hole in the subframe, and the subframe was significantly corroded. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who informed the contact that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 5, 2023StructureODI 11542694

Suspension

85 reports8 crashes1 related recall
“Rackandpinon replacement was also the upper and lower ball joints my steering is still giving me problems and I feel like it’s asafty concern because if I’m going down the highway I could loose control I have some receipts for what my mechanic replaced I called Toyota and they told me that it was to late to fix anything and that I would have to deal with it I never received a notice in the mail or anywhere else I feel like Toyota owes me Also what has happened is my spare tire feel off from the hanger going up my driveway I got to looking and the cable rusted away along with my rear parking brake cable up under the truck thanks for your time”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 14, 2025Steering, Suspension, Forward collision avoidanceCrash reportedODI 11661021

Power train

26 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE BALL JOINT FRACTURED AND CAME APART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND WAS LATER TOWED TO MIKE ERDMAN TOYOTA (1545 E MERRITT ISLAND CAUSEWAY, MERRITT ISLAND, FL 32952) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BALL JOINT SEPARATED AND DAMAGED THE AXLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V225000 (SUSPENSION). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 334,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 23, 2018Suspension, Power trainODI 11064474

Air bags

20 reports14 crashes1 fire
“My air conditioning is not working right blowing hot air. Had it charged and no change, I believe that I have the same issue as others, My air bags light keeps going off and on when driving. I see where there was a recall on other Toyota vehicles that had the same problem as me.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 15, 2024Air bags, Unknown or otherODI 11588939

Wheels

18 reports4 crashes
“DRIVING IN A HIGHWAY STATE 81 TOWARDS HARRISONBURG VIRGINIA WHEN MY 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA , PARTS OR EQUIPMENT UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK COLLAPSE CAUSE OF OUT OF CONTROL OF THE TRUCK , THE WHOLE SHOCK AND THE BALL JOINT IN THE FRONT ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK, THE PASSENGER SIDE AND DRIVER SIDE FALL TO THE GROUND, WHILE DRIVING DID NOT HIT ANY ONE BUT IT WILL CAUSE MY LIFE AT RISK . I DONT KNOW WHAT HAPPEND IF I CAN CALL SOME AS A RECALL , SINCE THE BEGINNING OF 2002 WHEN I BOUGHT THE TRUCK BRAND NEW AT STEVEN TOYOTA HARRISONBURG , VIRGINIA , NOT EVEN A YEAR YET NOTICE THAT UNDERNEATH FROM PIPE TO THE SHKICJ THE WHOLE UNDERRNEATH START TO RUSTY BAD BUT NO ONE EVER TOLD ME HOW BAD IT IS. I LOVE MY 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA .I KEPT THE TRUCK FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS NOW I BELIEVE IM ONLY THE ONE IN PAGE COUNTY TOWN OF STANLEY VIRGINIA DRIVING A TOYOTA TACOMA . I TOOK CARE OF MY TRUCK NOTHING BUT ONLY 135,000 MILES ON IT., MOSTY EVERYDAY I HAVE BEEN ASK OR MANY PEOPLE LIKE TO BUY MY TRUCK . IM NOT VERY RICH PERSON IM NOT RETIRED YET BUT I GOT DISABLE FOR A YEAR AND MY INCOME NOT ENOUGH BUT WITH THE HELP OF SOME FAMILY I MANAGE TO PAY THE TOWING CAMPONY . NOW THE TRUCK SET IN TO MY…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 27, 2021Suspension, Electrical system, WheelsODI 11445032

Tires

16 reports1 crash1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V542000 (TIRES). HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 11, 2014TiresODI 10663593
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.